Contractile reel



R. W. EMERY CONTRACTILE REEL June 5, 1951 Filed Oct. 22, 1946 INVENTOR- A? ALP/1 M4 A1499) AFIVMZ! Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTRACTILE REEL Ralph W. Emery, Texas City, Tex.

Application October 22, 1946, Serial No. 704,826

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a discharge reel for yarn, fishing lines, or rolled wire.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reel for yarn, fishing lines, and wire, which can be constructed of standard stock material, which will be light in weight and easily transportable, and which willbe cheap to manufacture.

It is another object of the invention to provide a reel which can be easily loaded with a skein of yarn or wire by havingthe side legs of the members on which the yarn and wire are supported, such that they can be folded outwardly and toward the center of the reel to permit the insertion of a coil of yarn or wire.

It is another object of the invention to provide a support for a reel which has means by which it can be supported on a flat surface, or by which the reel can be suspended from an overhead structure removed from the floor or surface.

It is another object of the invention to provide a central support for the reel. which can be easily attached to and assembled from the supporting member on which the reel is journaled.

According to the invention, the reel is formed of I -Shaped members having a bottom portion and two leg portions. There is a central structure having tubular formation in which the upright portion of the member is extended fo attachment thereto. The central member isconnected to a shaft which is adapted to be attached to a supporting member for the reel so that the reel can be rotated todispense yarn or wire. The supporting member is adapted to be supported on a floo or surface-or can be suspended from an overhead structure. One leg of each of the Y- shaped members is connected to its bottom portion so that it can be adjusted outwardly to permit, when all of the leg members are so adjusted, the insertion of a coil of yarn or wire over the portions of the members forming the core of the reel. With the coil once inserted, the leg members are then turned into a vertical plane and tightened, so that they serve to retain the yarn coil upon the reel against axial displacement therefrom.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a reel support Y and a reel journaled thereupon and constructed inserted therein and secured thereto by clamping bolts.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective View of the ends of the rod which attaches the reel to the supporting frame.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of that portion of the frame which includes the latch for securing the ends of the rod.

Referring now to the figures, l0 represents the main supporting frame on which is journaled a reel II. The main supporting frame Hi includes horizontal floor support pieces of angle shape, as indicated at 12 and I3, and adapted to rest upon a fiat floor surface. To these floo pieces there are extended upwardly uprights l4 and 15 con-- nected together attheir upper ends by a top piece l6 having a hook ll thereon by which the support and its reel can be suspended from an overhead structure.

On the upright members are latch members l8 adapted to receive the ends of a shaft 19 forming a part of the reel- H. This shaft l9, on each of its ends, has an annular recess 2| adapted to re ceive the latches i8. Because the latch I8 extends into the recess 21, the shaft l9 will be retained against axial displacement relative to the main support [0. To release the shaft, the latch elements 48 are dropped down about their pivots 22 and the reel with the shaft can be separated from the main support In. When the latches are operated, they make frictional engagement with the sides of the upright members to thereby retain them in raised position.

The shaft l9 has a central structure 23 supported thereon. This central structure 23 may rotate relative to the shaft l9, but is prevented from having too easy rotational movement by the provision of a washer 24 and a cotter pin 25 at one side of the structure 23, and a spring 26 with a washer 21 and a cotter 28 at the opposite side of the structure. The spring 26 will urge the structure against the Washer 24 and thus limit its freedom to rotate upon the shaft I9. The shaft l9 may have some rotation relative to the main support l0, and within the latch I 8.

The central structure has a plurality of circumferentially spaced tubular spokes 3| into which project sleeves 32 and central shanks 33 of Y-shaped members 34, which serve to support the coil of yarn or wire. The sleeves 32 are tight fitting in the spokes 3| and the shanks 33 are secured to the sleeves 32 by bolt means 35. There are four of these Y-shaped members 34 surrounding the central structure 23. Each of these members is of similar construction. In addition to the shank portions 33 there is provided a base or yarn or coil-receiving portion 36 and a fixed finger 31 and an adjustable finger 38. The adjustable finger is made a separate part of the Y-member and is flattened at its connecting end, as indicated at 39, to have frictional engagement with a similarly flattened end of portion 36. The two parts are secured together by a wing bolt4l.

When it is desired to add to the reel a coil of yarn or wire, the adjustable fingers, 38 are drawn outwardly so that they extend axially of the reel and the coil of yarn or wire is slipped over the end of the same and dropped down into place upon the receiving portion 36 of the Y-shaped members 34. 38 are extended outwardly and the wing bolt 4i tightened in place. The coil is accordingly prevented from leaving the ends of the reel. With the coil of yarn or wire in place on the reel, the reel is supportedly raised and attachment made of its rods l9 to the latch elements E8 on the main support it). Thereafter, wire or yarn can be withdrawn from the reel audit will rotate upon the support It.

While various changes may be made in the details of construction, it will be apparent that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A reeling device comprising a frame having spaced fixed standards, a reel shaft extending between said standards, means supporting said shaft on said standards, and a reel comprising a hub mounted on an intermediate part of said shaft between said standards, said hub having a plurality of radial tubular spokes extending therefrom, shanks removably inserted and secured in said tubular spokes, cross arms secured to the radially outward ends of said shanks at points intermediate the ends of said cross arms where by substantial portions of the length of said cross arms extend on opposite sides of said shanks, fixed radially extending fingers on one end of said cross arms, adjustable normally radially extending fingers on the opposite ends of said cross arms,

and combined pivot and clamping means mount ing said adjustable fingers on said cross arms, said pivot and clamping means being adapted to be loosened to permit said adjustable fingers to be pivoted from their normal radial relation to said cross arms into axial aligned relation with said cross arms, whereby a coil can be installed on I or removed from the reel cross arms, and means removably mounting said reel shaft on said Thereafter the adjustable fingers standards comprising latches pivoted on said standards, bearing openings in the standards in which end portions of said reel shaft can rotatably rest with said latches closing said bear ing openings to retain the reel shaft therein.

2. A reeling device comprising a frame having spaced fixed standards, a reel shaft extending betweensaid standards, means supporting said shaft on said standards, and a reel'comprising a hub mounted on an intermediate part of said shaft between said standards, said hub having a plurality of radial tubular spokes extending there'- from, shanks removably inserted and secured in said tubular spokes, cross arms secured to the radially outward ends of said shanks at points intermediate the ends of said cross arms whereby substantial portions of the length of said cross arms extend on opposite sides of said shanks, fixed radially extending fingers on one end of said cross arms, adjustable normally radially extending fingers on the opposite ends of said cross arms, and combined pivot and clamping means mounting said adjustable fingers on said cross arms, said pivot and clamping means being adapted to be loosened to permit said adjustable fingers to be pivoted from their normal radial relation to said cross arms into axial aligned relation with said cross arms, whereby a coil can be installed on or removed from the reel cross arms, and means removably mounting said reel shaft on said standards comprising latches pivoted on said standards, bearing openings in the standards in which end portions of said reel shaft can rotatably rest with said latches closing said bearing openings to retain the reel shaft therein,

said end portions of the reel shaft being formed with circumferential grooves in which portions of said latches engage in their closed positions to prevent axial displacement of said reel shaft relative to said support.

- RALPH W. EMERY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS McCoy May 5, 1936 

